SOLD OUT

Our second book first appeared in a softback German language edition - the English (hardback) version entitled For King and Kaiser followed in October 2020. Once again it is a maximal 256 pages long and features around 300 illustrations. As our readers have come to expect, the great majority of the photos are previously unpublished private pictures (including some amazing front-line shots). This German edition was produced by a print-on-demand service under Jürgen's careful and exacting supervision. We are very proud of the quality of the result, most especially in the reproduction of the images, and are quite satisfied that it fully matches the production quality of our Pen & Sword volumes.

Von Armentières Nach Langemarck ('From Armentières to Langemarck') expands on many subjects we didn't get to cover in detail in Fighting the Kaiser's War due to pressure of space. Inevitably we came across some amazing material following the publication of the first book (in some cases, due to contacts resulting from that volume), to the point where we quickly realised we already had the basis of another volume on the Saxons in Flanders.

The first book is (in part) a reasonably comprehensive history of the Saxon war effort in Flanders, including all divisions / corps and as many smaller units as we could track. This second one makes no attempt to rehash this, but rather adds detail to parts of it.

The following subjects are covered at chapter length:

• Jäger-Bataillon 13 (XIX.AK) in the earliest phase of trench warfare on the Armentières front in 1914
• Saxons (variously from 24.ID and 40.ID of XIX.AK) and attached Prussian units at the Frelinghien breweries 1914-1916
• Saxon 40.ID (XIX.AK) at Ploegsteert Wood 1914-1916
• RIR 245 (54.RD / XXVII.RK) - 1st Ypres as described in the personal diary of the regimental commander (who was sent to take over this unit at the height of the fighting)
• RIR 245 (54.RD / XXVII.RK) - 2nd Ypres as described in the personal diaries of the regimental commander and a battalion commander
• XXVII.RK - 2nd Ypres as experienced by the Saxon / Württemberg corps (53.RD and 54.RD); this is a corrected and slightly expanded version of our booklet The Saxons at Zonnebeke, which greatly enlarges on the brief account in Fighting the Kaiser's War and provides much needed context to the previous chapter.
• XXVII.RK - the units, facilities and populace of the corps rear area, 1914-1916. This chapter is mostly about the photos, but also includes the personal account of an billeting officer in Waterdamhoek.
• IR 182 (123.ID) at Wytschaete 1915-1916 - the (witty and erudite) letters of a company commander, accompanied by some very rare images of this sector including the famous Bayernwald trench system.
• 23.RD at 3rd Ypres - this chapter focuses more on the gradual devastation of the landscape and the progressively worsening conditions, as seen by this Saxon division at Bixschoote, Pilckem, Langemarck and Passchendaele.
• IR 133 (24.ID) at 3rd Ypres - this chapter (especially the photographic selection) focuses mainly on the fighting in the foul mire south of the Menin Road that autumn, where the Saxons repelled the assault of British 7th Division on 26th October.
• 58.ID at Houthulst Forest, Poelkapelle and Langemarck in the autumn fighting of 1917, the following winter and the spring advance.
• Those who remained in Flanders - the cemeteries and monuments of the Saxon Army in Flanders, including a personal account from a wartime graves registration officer (plus his dismayed post-war report on its condition).